Only one legislator has consistently supported the Poinciana initiatives.

Published: Saturday, August 30, 2014 at 10:59 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, August 30, 2014 at 10:59 p.m.

POINCIANA | Residents in this sprawling suburban community between Haines City and Kissimmee are trying again to form a city.

The first step would be to persuade members of the Florida Legislature to authorize a referendum in 2016 to find out whether the community's voters like the idea.

The effort, first launched in 2009, died after non- Poinciana residents included in the original proposal objected.

A second attempt failed last year after legislators concluded the feasibility plan fell short of what's required by state law.

The latest report addresses those objections, said Keith Laytham, one of the organizers of the campaign.

Incorporation proponents sent the updated report to officials in Tallahassee last week for review.

Laytham said incorporation proponents plan to meet with members of the Polk and Osceola legislative delegations in coming months to present their revised proposal and find out whether legislators have any questions.

During public meetings last year, several area legislators members questioned the proposal.

The only legislator who has consistently supported the referendum request has been state Sen. Darren Soto, D-Kissimmee, who said the petition by Poinciana residents appears to have been singled out for extra scrutiny, while other incorporation petitions — Estero being the most recent — have won approval despite flaws in their studies.

Nevertheless, Poinciana can't become a city without a successful referendum, and residents can't hold that referendum without approval from the Florida Legislature.

The issue will surface formally during annual pre­session delegation meetings, which typically occur in November and December.

If legislators agree the feasibility study is adequate, they will approve sponsoring legislation to allow the referendum to occur in November 2016.

If the Legislature approved the referendum, the new city would hold elections for a mayor and a commission the following spring.

Two primary issues have stalled the incorporation effort. The main one was financial feasibility.

Opponents questioned whether the proposed city had a tax base large enough to support the cost of operating a local government.

However, an analysis of available revenue done by staff members of various state agencies that reviewed last year's application concluded there was adequate revenue to cover the proposed municipal budget, providing figures incorporation backers had missed.

"We're not guessing now,'' Laytham said. "If people want to argue over the figures, they shouldn't argue with us; they should argue with the state."

Laytham said it looks as though the new city would have enough other revenue to allow it to forgo levying property taxes.

An earlier proposal put the levy at $3 per $1,000 of taxable property value, which is typically the minimum required by state law for new cities.

Another issue was whether Poinciana had the population density required by state law.

Laytham said the report calculates the popu­lation density is 1.8 people per acre, which is above the state minimum of 1.5 people per acre.

He said they were able to reach that figure by eliminating a large amount of undeveloped conser­- vation land that should not be inside the proposed city.

[ Tom Palmer can be reached at tom.palmer@theledger.com or 863-802-7535. Read his blog on the environment at environment.blogs.theledger.com and his blog on county government at county.blogs.theledger.com. Follow on Twitter @LedgerTom. ]

<p>POINCIANA | Residents in this sprawling suburban community between Haines City and Kissimmee are trying again to form a city.</p><p>The first step would be to persuade members of the Florida Legislature to authorize a referendum in 2016 to find out whether the community's voters like the idea.</p><p>The effort, first launched in 2009, died after non- Poinciana residents included in the original proposal objected.</p><p>A second attempt failed last year after legislators concluded the feasibility plan fell short of what's required by state law.</p><p>The latest report addresses those objections, said Keith Laytham, one of the organizers of the campaign.</p><p>Incorporation proponents sent the updated report to officials in Tallahassee last week for review.</p><p>Laytham said incorporation proponents plan to meet with members of the Polk and Osceola legislative delegations in coming months to present their revised proposal and find out whether legislators have any questions.</p><p>During public meetings last year, several area legislators members questioned the proposal.</p><p>The only legislator who has consistently supported the referendum request has been state Sen. Darren Soto, D-Kissimmee, who said the petition by Poinciana residents appears to have been singled out for extra scrutiny, while other incorporation petitions — Estero being the most recent — have won approval despite flaws in their studies. </p><p>Nevertheless, Poinciana can't become a city without a successful referendum, and residents can't hold that referendum without approval from the Florida Legislature.</p><p>The issue will surface formally during annual pre­session delegation meetings, which typically occur in November and December.</p><p>If legislators agree the feasibility study is adequate, they will approve sponsoring legislation to allow the referendum to occur in November 2016.</p><p>If the Legislature approved the referendum, the new city would hold elections for a mayor and a commission the following spring.</p><p>Two primary issues have stalled the incorporation effort. The main one was financial feasibility.</p><p>Opponents questioned whether the proposed city had a tax base large enough to support the cost of operating a local government.</p><p>However, an analysis of available revenue done by staff members of various state agencies that reviewed last year's application concluded there was adequate revenue to cover the proposed municipal budget, providing figures incorporation backers had missed.</p><p>"We're not guessing now,'' Laytham said. "If people want to argue over the figures, they shouldn't argue with us; they should argue with the state."</p><p>Laytham said it looks as though the new city would have enough other revenue to allow it to forgo levying property taxes.</p><p>An earlier proposal put the levy at $3 per $1,000 of taxable property value, which is typically the minimum required by state law for new cities.</p><p>Another issue was whether Poinciana had the population density required by state law.</p><p>Laytham said the report calculates the popu­lation density is 1.8 people per acre, which is above the state minimum of 1.5 people per acre.</p><p>He said they were able to reach that figure by eliminating a large amount of undeveloped conser­- vation land that should not be inside the proposed city.</p><p>[ Tom Palmer can be reached at tom.palmer@theledger.com or 863-802-7535. Read his blog on the environment at environment.blogs.theledger.com and his blog on county government at county.blogs.theledger.com. Follow on Twitter @LedgerTom. ]</p>